Budapest (AFP) – As Hungary counts down to its first participation in a major tournament for three decades, long-forgotten football fever is back. The "Magical Magyars" were the best side in the world in the 1950s when Ferenc Puskas and his fabled teammates were in their prime, famously thrashing England 7-1 in 1954. But when […]

Rome (AFP) – Bosnia international midfielder Miralem Pjanic has joined Juventus from Roma for 32 million euros ($36 million), the two clubs said on Monday. The 26-year-old passed a medical on Monday before signing a five-year deal. Juve's sports director Beppe Marotta said the club had activated a release clause in Pjanic's Roma contract. Pjanic […]

Chantilly (France) (AFP) – England captain Wayne Rooney and manager Roy Hodgson on Monday pleaded with the country's fans to avoid further violence to head off a UEFA threat to disqualify the team from Euro 2016. "I'm appealing to you to stay out of trouble," Hodgson said in a video message. "We really desperately want […]

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – Barcelona defender Gerard Pique headed a late winner as defending champions Spain overcame a resolute and determined Czech Republic 1-0 in their Group D opener in Toulouse on Monday. Spain's build-up to the tournament was rocked last week when reports claimed goalkeeper De Gea had been involved in a sex scandal. […]

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – European champions Spain were frustrated by goalkeeping heroics from Czech Republic captain Petr Cech to go in 0-0 at half-time of their Euro 2016 Group D opener in Toulouse on Monday. David de Gea's selection ahead of captain Iker Casillas in the Spain goal dominated headlines before kick-off. But it was […]

Moscow (AFP) – A senior Russian Football Union official and ultra-nationalist politician said Monday that the country's fans were right to fight England supporters at Euro 2016. Igor Lebedev, who sits on the RFU executive committee and is also a deputy speaker in parliament, said on Twitter: "I don't see anything wrong with fans fighting." […]

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – Spain goalkeeper David de Gea, embroiled in sex scandal allegations, will start for Spain in their Euro 2016 opener against the Czech Republic on Monday. De Gea was in contention with legendary fellow shot-stopper Iker Casillas to start for the defending champions in Toulouse in their Group D match. However coach […]

ESPN kicked off its coverage of the Euro 2016 tournament this weekend. In all, the sports network televised all seven games from the opening 3 days. While the opening weekend coverage featured some blemishes, the fact that ESPN is covering a major soccer competition again — its first since World Cup 2014 — was a welcome return. Going […]

Marseille (AFP) – Ten men will be tried in France Monday over the violence between English and Russian football fans in Marseille, but prosecutors said 150 "extremely well-trained" Russian hooligans had evaded arrest. England captain Wayne Rooney and manager Roy Hodgson made a public appeal to England fans to behave after UEFA threatened the team […]

London (AFP) – English fans involved in bloody clashes before and during England's match with Russia at the weekend insisted Russian hooligans and French police were to blame, as fears mounted of fresh violence to come. As images of the unrest which marred Saturday's 1-1 draw between England and Russia continued to feature prominently in […]

Bangkok (AFP) – Thailand's health authorities have urged football fans to avoid getting overly excited while watching Euro 2016 lest those heart-stopping moments literally prove fatal. The Public Halth Ministry published advice calling on fans to ward off heart attacks by making sure they get enough rest and avoid long binges of football-fuelled excitement. "The […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Sven-Goran Eriksson shrugged off a penalty decision that sparked furious scenes as his Shanghai SIPG side slipped further behind in the Chinese title race with a 2-1 defeat to big-spending Jiangsu Suning. Eriksson preferred not to dwell on the crucial moment in the second half, when Yu Hai was harshly penalised for […]

London (AFP) – The head of Britain's Euro 2016 policing operation on Sunday said Russian football fans attacked their English rivals wearing gum shields, martial arts gloves and carrying knives. Assistant chief constable Mark Roberts told Britain's Guardian daily the clashes in Marseille were the most serious he had seen in 10 years of investigating […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – Germany stars Manuel Neuer and Toni Kroos warned the world champions will only improve after seeing off Ukraine 2-0 in Lille to make the perfect start to their Euro 2016 campaign. Kroos was named man of the match and goalkeeper Neuer made several key saves as Ukraine threatened to expose a […]

Foxborough (United States) (AFP) – Brazil were sent crashing out of the Copa America Centenario here Sunday after a hugely controversial goal handed Peru a 1-0 victory. The five-time world champions were eliminated from the tournament in the group stage for the first time since 1987 after Raul Ruidiaz bundled in a 75th-minute winner for […]